Essence
by Twisted Shadows Official
Summary: Tormented and abused, 96 struggles to keep herself from giving into the hell that is her life. She's contained in her small cell, forced to endure experiment after experiment as the Facility molds her into the perfect weapon. Human? No, she's something dangerous and rare. A shapeshifter. She escapes only to find herself trapped again. A monster among monsters. SansxOc (Cover by me)
1. Flicker

"Clearly you haven't been punished enough." The snap of the whip cracked loudly throughout the dim room. Blood splattered against the stone wall. "We've told you not to talk unless told to do so, yet you disobey us."

A shuddered breath escaped the small figure as another crack of the whip brought more pain to her back. She tried to remember when she had last spoken to another person. It seemed so long ago now, a different life even.

"Shouldn't you be trained by now 96?" The man snarled. "You've been with us for nine years! But no, always causing so much shit! We could be halfway done with your training already! I have other things to do you know!"

Like what? She wanted to growl out, knowing he had no life and spent all his time here at the facility. He wasn't even qualified to go out and search for more of her kind and therefore wasn't allowed out of the facility either. She didn't know why and couldn't care less. He took his anger and annoyance of being stuck here out on the projects. 96 being the easiest to punish because of her wild attitude. She was always doing something wrong and always smiling. Even if it was obviously fake it still grated on the nerves of almost all of the caretakers.

The whip lashed into the back of her legs and they gave way, if not for the chains holding her in place she would have fallen. The pain was so great anyone else would have begged and pleaded for it to end. Not 96, never her. She'd grit her teeth, her lips always twitching upward, and take it until the one hitting her gave up. If she were facing him she'd spit in his face and laugh.

"Didn't think we'd catch you talking to yourself, huh?" He snorted and struck her again, this time on the shoulders and with more effort. Blood flowed freely down her back and legs, pooling on the ground.

She laughed through her nose before flinching as the whip struck her again. So that was it? Figures. Talking to herself reminded her that she had a voice. That she was alive, still sane. She'd been doing it for years and they only just now caught her. Yeah, this little punishment wouldn't stop her from doing it again.

"Be glad Grid isn't here to play with you. Bastard got his ass chewed for the last time he touched you."

Her hazel eyes flashed and narrowed as she held her tongue, staring at the wall in front of her. The wall that held multiple devices for her punishments and training. A large square cage sat in the right corner shinning gloomily in the dim light. It was like a sturdy dog kennel, but the bottom was a thin sheet of metal and chains kept it securely against the stone wall.

She _was_ glad Grid wasn't here now, he had almost... She cleared her mind of the incident. Net, the man hitting her, wasn't a pervert at least. It took all of her concentration to keep from crying out as the whip continued biting into her bare flesh.

 _Fucking bastard._ She imagined how amazing it'd feel to rip his throat out. How she wished she could do just that as he continued talking, his nasally voice grating on her sensitive ears.

"You probably liked it, huh?" His voice held something dark that made her heart thump even louder in her chest and her blood to run cold. At least she thought he wasn't a pervert. She made no hint of even hearing him and he put more effort into trying to get some noise from her or at least to make that smile slip off her face.

"It's all the action you'll ever get little freak..." But his tone was suggestive and made her skin crawl.

She could handle any pain, take it and make no sounds at all. She was used that, but if they got physical in a sexual way she didn't know what she'd do. How much more could they take away from her before she had nothing left? She told herself she'd never break, but words only went so far and masks only hid so much.

Net didn't try anything though and finally, after what seemed like hours, but must have only been minutes, he grunted and put the whip in its spot on the wall. His back was to her as he looked over the equipment, debating. A string of beeps from his watch made him click his tongue in annoyance.

She studied his completely black track suit, the one every caretaker wore warily as if he'd take it off any second. Her eyes betrayed her nervousness at his odd words from earlier. The sleeves were secured under specially made rubber gloves and boots and didn't look easy to remove. With them they had no worries about being electrocuted, the volts coursing through the chains and metal so high it'd kill a normal person. At least when they were activated they would, the level they kept it at normally would only make them feel like they were being tased.

"Maybe Grid had the right idea after all." The man called Net turned to face her, looking her body up and down. She glared challengingly as he came closer, trying desperately to hide her fear. His dark eyes crinkled at the edges, his mouth turning up in a cruel smile. She thought he'd hit her when his gloved hand came up, but instead patted her lightly on the head like a dog. "Maybe another time."

She opened her mouth and spat in his face, laughing her fear away.

"Disgusting little bitch!" He yelled furiously, wiping the saliva on his right sleeve. "You've done it now you piece of shit!"

96 and her kind couldn't die of electrocution. Oh no. The pain made them wish for death as their bodies convulsed and formed rapidly into any and all the animal forms that that specific shapeshifter had. Then they would throw up and dry heave, blood dripping from their eyes, ears, and nose. Completely exhausted and unable to move they were easy to deal with.

Electricity flashed and surged through her body and she found herself almost regretting her action as she screamed uncontrollably. The screams turning to groans and choked gasps as she lost her voice and vomit clogged her throat. Her body fell unceremoniously to the ground as she formed into a cat, the shackles around her wrists to big for her now. Then a lion, snake, hawk, and an assortment of other creatures contorted her body before the convulsions stopped and she lay in a pool of blood and vomit.

"Fuck you..." She got out before more dry heaves racked her body.

"I'm sure you'd like that, but talking again? Even laughing?" He grabbed her by her left arm and dragged her to the metal cage, opening the door and throwing her in. The cold metal panel at the bottom made her body shiver and started another bout of dry heaves. "We're going to have some fun, but not with you covered in blood. Don't worry, I won't get caught like that dumbass Grid. I know how to work the cameras in here to my advantage~"

With that he walked to the metal door, took his right glove off with some effort, pricked his finger, and placed his palm on the panel that would activate and let him out. "Fortunately for you Grace wants your useless ass proficient in turning into another animal so we'll have to clean you up and play later. I'm already running late with your schedule."

It took a second before a female's robotic voice announced the opening of the door and gears whirled loudly inside it. A moment later and Net was gone, the sealing of the door a welcoming thing.

She let out a labored breath after a few minutes brought most of her strength back. ' _I'm fine._ ' Her body betrayed her thoughts as the pain throbbed with each beat of her heart and doubt surged forward. Blood dripped from her chin as she pushed herself into a sitting position and leaned against the bars of the cage. The buzzing of the electricity always present as it crawled along her skin.

Pain, always so much pain. And blood. She spat a red glob and wiped her mouth off before fixing her smiling facade. The copper taste lingered in her mouth and the smell overpowered everything else.

She ignored it expertly and instead focused on her breathing and the worst of the wounds she could heal. A deep gash on her legs and about a dozen crisscrossing her back. ' _Shouldn't be to hard'_ She thought skeptically as she imagined the blood stopping and the wounds closing themselves.

It took a few minutes and left her skull throbbing in agony, but her powers complied and soon the wounds sealed themselves. She didn't even bother with the other, less threatening, gashes and bruises that covered her from neck down. They'd heal on their own eventually. This pain was less than the previous and she welcomed it warmly. She'd have scars from them, but she stopped caring about scars long ago. She told herself it did not matter, that nothing they did mattered. Believing it was harder to do, but either way she had to many to count and they took to much effort to get rid of. All of the caretakers had seen her naked since they kept her so at all times anyways.

 _"After all,"_ they'd always say, " _animals don't need clothing."_

Ten minutes passed and she found herself daydream, imagining the desert sky full of stars and the wind in her hair. The smell would be clean and fresh and full of life. Not this cell with dried blood and damp stone. Her twin brother would be there, his laughter mixing with hers as they talked and made up stupid jokes. She wondered what he would look like now, as an adult rather than the preteen she knew. In fact, she wondered what she looked like now. She hadn't seen herself in a mirror since she was taken.

She blinked and looked down at her wrists. They were so scarred from the years of being shackled that the cuffs no longer drew any blood. Just a small bright thing in her world of darkness.

She wondered how her brother and her would have spent these last nine years together. How her mother and father would have celebrated their graduation and then seen them off to college. Her to an art school and his smart ass to somewhere like Harvard. Maybe she'd already be done with school by now and earning money with her creations. Tears threatened to form and she quickly chastised herself for even thinking about crying. With a growl she focused on the present. It was no use thinking over impossible things.

Shivering slightly she looked around the familiar room, her eyes unusually good at seeing in the dim light. Another ability that came from being a shape shifter.

The walls, ceiling, and floor were all made out of stone like some dungeon in a castle. She had been dangling in the middle of the room by her wrists from chains hooked to the ceiling. In front of her was the metal door, the only entrance and exit, also buzzing with electricity. Only members of the inner circle of the facility, the caretakers, could open the door that was programmed to read their DNA and hand print.

On the wall to her left a single chain attached to a metal collar hung, waiting for her. It was what she wore when she was allowed to sleep, the chain only long enough for her to lean against the wall and doze off. She quickly learned to sleep sitting up without her head bobbing and cutting off her air. Her throat would be scarred as well, but the caretakers demanded she get rid of them just in case the scar tissue fucked with her breathing. Wouldn't want their little prodigy dying now would they?

Against the right wall a single chair sat behind a metal desk where one of the caretakers would sit when observing her and make little notes. It was unnerving to say the least, but by now she was used to it for the most part. Cameras watched her at all hours, she should be used to it.

Her hazel eyes unfocused as she stared unseeing at the door in front of her. She was just about to ignore the rules and doze off when it whooshed open and Net, along with another man, came in carrying a small cage. The other man was just security and therefore 96 had no idea who he was. She was hardly taken out of her cell nowadays. Not since the experiment was a success. Before then she made sure she studied everyone and everything she encountered, just in case one provided her with a means of escape.

They brought the cage within a foot of her and then dropped it unsparingly on the ground. A small yelp escaped the small animal inside before Net kicked the cage with a grunt. The security guy glanced at her and smiled, his face contorting into something like awe and appreciation.

96 bared her teeth at the man and growled lowly, her smile fading fast, knowing that look all to well and hating it with a burning passion. It was the same look one would give a wild animal at the circus, like she was just something entertaining to look at. Like she wasn't a person.

"Shut up 96. You too mutt." Net huffed when the animal started growling as well. He then made his way to the chair and desk. Once he sat down he turned to the man who was still staring at me. Net chuckled at his expression. "Dude, get the fuck out."

The man jumped and snapped his head towards Net. His face cleared of its previous emotion and he smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I forgot how pretty this one was." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and hurried out of the room, shutting the door as he went.

"True." Net mused lowly, his eyes scanning her body a little to closely. Smirking at the glare she gave him he laughed and looked down at the papers and stopwatch on the desk. "Okay. Next animal is the fennec fox."

He wrote something on the papers while 96 finally took notice of the small animal in the cage. It was about as big as a small cat and had huge pointed ears, which were angled towards Net. It's fur was the color of sand on the top and turned white on its stomach and legs, even the top of its little head and huge ears were sandy colored. His dark oval eyes stared directly at her with what looked like fear and confusion.

She reached out with her mind until she felt the animal's warm presence and latched on. This was something not all shapeshifters had, but came naturally to her. She could feel their emotions and send her emotions to them. Usually she did this to calm down an animal that was going crazy with fear. She refused to acknowledge the fact that she really did it to feel a connection to something that didn't outright hate her or want to hurt her.

"Alright," Net's annoying voice interrupted her connection and the fox flinched. "Hurry your ass up and don't fuck it up. Grace has the electricity set up to where you'll get shocked immediately if you don't get this one right the first time. Seems you pissed her off by delaying our schedule. Or maybe it's that stupid smile you refuse to get rid of. You know how much she just loves to see her little babies in agony."

Fear of getting shocked again ran down her spine, but she kept her features blank and her smile pasted on her face. Her eyes snapped shut and she focused everything she had into picturing the fox and becoming it, or at least her version of it. She never looked exactly the same as any of the animals she changed into and always kept certain aspects, like her eyes. The struggle of turning into something she wasn't used to with the added pain still lingering from earlier had her head feeling like it was being smashed against a wall. She felt the fox's presence reach out for her and was shocked it had done so.

It sent her strong waves of reinsurance and with its help she beat the pain and felt her body comply to her demand. Her connection to it was stronger than any she had ever had. Panting slightly she opened her eyes and looked at the fox in wonder. Somehow knowing that it was male and that he was still just a pup.

' _What-'_

 _'Listen.'_ She was stopped mid thought when a soft voice echoed in her head.

Hesitating just a moment she let herself tune into the real world again and immediately hissed in pain, flattening her giant ears against her head and body. Now she had amazing hearing in human form, but this was ridiculous. It improved by tenfold, so much so that the usual buzzing of the cage blocked out any other noise and shrilled painfully against her eardrums. She was just about to curl up into a ball and wait for her body to forcefully change her back when the soft voice came again.

 _'No!'_ It cried out hastily, _'listen hard! To the outside world!'_

Looking into his eyes so full of desperation she did just that, letting her ears twitch towards the door. The buzzing receded as she concentrated, finding out she could hear different wavelengths of sound. She could hear footsteps, someone eating, their silverware clanking on their plate. A growl emanated from her stomach, not having been fed since breakfast, but she ignored it, listening harder until she could hear what he wanted her to. The surface.

' _Was that what he was talking about?_ ' Something she thought she recognized as rain and thunder vibrated in her ears. _'A storm?'_

 _'Yes!'_ He barked loudly and his puffy tail wagged once. _'There is a huge storm coming! It will be upon us in seconds! I can feel it in my soul!'_

Letting her ears drop again she glanced at Net who looked completely bored, the timer in his hand as he waited for her to turn back into a human. These tests were all about how fast she could change and how long she could stay that way. Surprisingly she was keeping this form longer than most that she wasn't naturally born with.

She looked back at the fox and tried to give him a questioning look. What relevance did some storm have with her? Yeah, she loved the rain and the smell it brought. Or she did, before the facility. Before she was trapped underground for five years.

 _'It will knock the power out, duh.'_ He growled in what sounded like exasperation, earning a shut up from Net. _'Do you understand?'_

She shot to her paws, having been sitting this whole time, and her tail stood straight up. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and this time it wasn't from pain or fear. This time it was something... else? She couldn't place it, but whatever it was happened often and had her focused, her mind racing. This came on suddenly, but no way would she ever miss a chance like this.

 _'I understand.'_ She turned her whole body towards Net, her eyes gleaming dangerously. She was small enough to slip right through the bars, only the electricity keeping her from doing so. The fox followed her gaze and nervously flicked his right ear, the look in her eyes scaring him a little. ' _I understand completely.'_

 _The thing she was feeling?_

 _It was COURAGE._

/

A/N: Hey you guys! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please give me some feedback!

Stay awesome my dragons!


	2. Luck or

Net looked up from the paper he had been staring at blankly when the lights flickered and dimmed considerably. His sharp brown eyes caught those of 96's as she stared at him from within her cage, large ears rigged and poofed up tail standing on end. The little amount of light caught in her eyes and they glowed in that eerily way a cat's would in the dark.

 _It_ _seemed_ _it_ _was_ _time_ _._ His insides felt like ice.

He pasted on a disgusted sneer and glared at the small woman turned fox. "Whatcha looking at bitch?" How he wished he was anywhere, anywhere, but here in this godforsaken place full of dirty secrets and cruel lies.

But he knew wishes never came true.

A second later the electricity flashed off and darkness strangled the blood splattered room with its black hands. Movement could be heard for a brief moment before the table slammed into Net's body, sending him crashing from his chair and knocking the wind from his lungs. Then the weight of the table was gone, cold claws wrapping around his neck as the force slammed him into the wall. His skull making a loud cracking noise as it made contact with the dark stone.

He struggled to breathe and couldn't help the tears that pricked at his eyes. Black spots danced in his vision as he tried in vain to stay conscious, succumbing to the pain and lack of oxygen.

96 thought about killing him, this man who she had seen more than any of the other caretakers. The thought of all the trouble he'd be in once they found out he let her get away stopped her. Death would be a mercy.

His body went limp and she hauled it to the door and the small panel that would set her free. Being able to see in the pitch black because of her animalistic eyes.

Well, free into the hall at least.

She still had two floors to get through, not counting this one, and then whatever else was above ground. A sliver of doubt reared its ugly head and she growled to get rid of it. She'd do anything to get out of this place and nothing was going to stop her. If she got caught there was no telling what they would do to her.

Having no time for such thoughts she dropped Net onto the floor in front of her by the door and grabbed his hand, ripping the glove off to get at his bare skin. Then, not skipping a beat, she rammed it harshly into the panel and waited for it to activate.

And waited.

 _'_ _Um_ _..."_ The fox spoke up in her mind, making her freeze in fright. How was he talking to her while she was a human? Yeah, she could feel emotions from animals while as a human, but they couldn't feel hers or send her emotions much less talk to her. _'_ _The_ _electricity_ _is_ _off_ _._ _The_ _door_ _won't_ _work_ _.'_

Oh yeah... "You're no help, dammit." She said quietly, glaring at Net and kicking, more than was necessary, his unconscious body out of the way. Then she raced to the fox's cage and let him out, cradling him in her left arm. "What are we-"

Suddenly the door made loud whirling noises and burst open, a beam of light piercing the darkness. "Hey is everything all right in here? The power got-"

The man was interrupted by a kick square in the balls, his eyes widening as his mouth gaped in a soundless scream. 96 recognized him as the security guard who had stared at her like an asshole earlier. She'd show him pretty. As he curled into himself she grabbed the back of his head with her free and and kneed him in the face as hard as she could. Needless to say he was out cold, blood leaking from his broken nose. Whether he was dead or not was no concern of hers.

 _'_ _That_ _was_ _convenient_ _.'_ The fox chirped happily, his fuzzy tail tickling her bare side as it wagged twice. She held back a giggle from the feeling and instead hopped over the still man.

She wasted no time and bolted through the hallway, her bare feet making no sound with her graceful movements. Keeping her ears and eyes open for anything dangerous she forced herself to run faster, thanking all the exercise and schooling the caretakers forced her to do. They may have thought they were benefiting themselves by keeping her perfectly healthy and intelligent, but it was all coming to bite them in the ass. She'd make sure of that.

Doors that matched that of her little room lined the walls and were all open to reveal empty stone cells. Looks like she was the only one held in this long hall. The only one that had survived those damn experiments.

These rooms were for successful and strong shape shifters. She had seen three other halls down here, but wasn't certain if there were more. One could only take in so much as they were pulled along by a chain attached to a collar around their neck.

The stairs finally came into view and she took them two at a time, ignoring the shiver of fear and the goosebumps that shown on her skin when she passed the second floor. That floor held the lab and all of the terrible things that went on in them. Where she had become a murderer.

' _It_ _wasn't_ _your_ _fault_ _._ ' She told herself as she made it to where the third floor came into view and continued upwards. This floor was where the caretakers lived. _'_ _They_ _made_ _you_ _do_ _it_ _.'_

She didn't believe herself in the slightest. It was _her_ that did it. As much as she wished, pleaded, and denied, she had _enjoyed_ it. Had wanted to do it again. Wanted to cause more pain. It disgusted her.

The fox could hear her thoughts and feel her emotions as they crashed against one another. Guilt, excitment, disgust, sadness, pleasure, all of these things didn't make sense. He wanted to ask her about it and almost did so until he caught the look in her golden green eyes. His fur stood on end and he looked away. Now was not the time.

They came to an abrupt halt at the top of the stairs and warily eyed the the heavy metal door before them. It was cracked open ominously and a cold draft came from within, causing 96 to take a step back from it. The fox swiveled his ears in the door's direction, listening for a sign of anything amiss. He, like 96, had superb night vision, but his hearing was his best sense.

The lights were still off and made both of them suspicious. It had been a good five minutes at least and 96 didn't think they were dumb enough to not have a backup system. They hadn't come across any other people since that security guard too. A small part of her wanted to just thank her lucky stars and ignore her dark thoughts. The other was bigger and less optimistic.

Was this a trap? A set up? _Something_ was up at least. She could feel it and so could the fox. Pure instinct told them that this wasn't just lady luck being generous.

 _'From_ _what_ _I_ _can_ _hear_ _there_ _is_ _no_ _immediate_ _danger_ _.'_ His soft voice was calm and sure. _'_ _But_ _we_ _need_ _to_ _hurry_ _._ _I'll_ _help_ _guide_ _you_ _with_ _my_ _hearing_ _.'_

That's all she needed to hear. With a quick nod she pulled the door all the way open with little effort, flinching at the cold touch of it. She wondered how this little fox knew so much. Weren't animals supposed to be unaware of things such as electricity and hallways. How did he know what anything man made was called?

She didn't know and didn't have the luxury of thinking about it too long as she entered what looked, and felt, like a walk-in freezer. Shivering at the immense cold biting at her bare skin she held the fox to her chest and looked around warily.

They were tucked in the back behind metal shelves on wheels that were holding a mirade of things like meat and veggies. It appeared that the shelf next to them was supposed to be hiding the door from view, but for some reason it was pushed to the side already. Definitely way to convenient, but they weren't going to think on it.

96 practically sprinted out of the freezer, her poor feet almost numb from touching the icey tiled floor. They entered a kitchen and she slammed the door to the freezer closed, glad to be away from the cold. She could clearly hear the raging storm outside. The thunder was so loud that lighting must be hitting near by as well.

Then she was pushing through a swinging door and into a big cafeteria styled room with tables and chairs, just like at an elementary school. 96 could feel her heart drop into her stomach as she walke quietly into the hallway on their right. There were what looked like kid drawings taped to the walls along with cut out words like love and imagination.

Why did they have this stuff above their lab? She never saw what hid their disgusting secret, having been brought to the holding cells unconscious nine years ago, but she didn't expect anything like this. Her imagination had always been of an abandoned warehouse, maybe a cave, heck she even thought it could have been just a trap door somewhere.

But this? It all screamed children. Was this a school? Did they fucking torture and do live experiments under a place for little kids?!

She couldn't stop the rage that was building in her chest. These people. No! These disgusting _monsters_ had no right to even be alive. She wanted to kill them, rip out their throats, break-

 _'_ _Someone's_ _coming_ _!_ ' The fox's urgent voice snapped her out of her rage, making her feel disgusted in herself. ' _Hurry, go in that room!'_

She obeyed and quietly slipped into one of the many rooms that lined the hallway they were in. The fox gave her hand a tiny lick for comfort, but she didnt notice. A heavy sigh escaped her and she leaned her back against the door, suddenly feeling weak.

Why was she thinking this way? She guessed being tortured does that to someone, but she didn't want it to. She didn't _want_ to feel pleasure in other people's pain. She didn't _want_ to be like them at all. They changed her, but she wanted to believe that _she_ was still there somewhere. The girl she used to be before she was ripped from her life and thrown into hell.

A small gasp had 96 jumping into a defensive position. She had been so lost in thought she hadn't even taken in her surroundings. How could she be so stupid?!

Her eyes zeroed in on a small figure that was sitting curled up on a bed in front of her and slightly to the right. Flashes of light were lighting up the room and rain pelted against the one barred window, rattling the glass. The person shook slightly and was pressed into the corner of the wall, wrapped up in a thin blanket.

The fox was tense in her hold and stayed focused on the figure, but his ears were pointed behind him. ' _There_ _are_ _two_ _people_ _making_ _their_ _way_ _down_ _the_ _hall_ _right_ _behind_ _this_ _door_ _.'_

 _'_ _Okay_ _.'_ She replied in her mind.

The figure squinted hard in the fox's and 96's direction, using the lightning to see, before visibly relaxing. "Who are you?" Came their confident, albeit slightly shaking voice, as they wiggled away from the wall and jumped out of the tiny bed. Their voice was barely loud enough to hear over the storm outside.

"96." She replied automatically and then immediately ground her teeth together. The number had been beaten into her and she hated how instinctive it was to say. That was not who she was. She was not a god damned number. "No one."

"Huh. Then I'm nobody as well. What about the... Is that a cat?" They leaned forward to try and get a better look through the darkness and flashes of light. "Um... Are you naked?!"

96 stiffened and looked slightly embarrassed in front of this person who was obviously not a caretaker. They may have seen her naked all the time, but she didn't like it and certainly didn't want anyone else to see her. She'd have to find some clothes. "It's a fox and yes, I am. Long story." She was secretly happy about talking to another person without being punished though.

They raised a thin eyebrow, but didn't question it, instead throwing the blanket on the bed. Then they flipped a switch between the head of the bed and a dresser pushed against the back wall and below the window. When nothing happened they did it a couple more times before turning around and frowning.

"Electricity is out." 96 supplied quietly in shock as she finally realized the person was a small little girl with bright green eyes. "Though for how long I don't know. It's been about 10 minutes I think."

' _It's_ _all_ _very_ _suspicious_ _._ ' The fox stated and growled lightly, his ears twitching uncomfortably, _'_ _Those_ _two_ _people_ _in_ _the_ _hall_ _are_ _now_ _having_ _a_ _conversation_ _near_ _the_ _entrance_ _to_ _the_ _place_ _with_ _all_ _the_ _tables_ _._ _It_ _would_ _seem_ _there_ _is_ _something_ _wrong_ _with_ _the_ _back_ _up_ _system_. _'_

 _'_ _I_ _don't_ _like t_ _his_ _,_ _but_ _I_ _guess_ _it's_ _to_ _our_ _advantage_ _.'_ She thought back and he remained silent as they both studied the girl in front of them.

She was dressed in a dark blue sweater with light purple stripes and black leggings. Her dark brown hair cut to her shoulders and messy from sleep. Or she assumed the girl had been asleep. It was dark outside after all, made even darker by the thick clouds that flashed with lighting.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed loudly in excitement and 96 immediately shushed her. The girl clamped her hands over her mouth, talking through her fingers in a rushed whisper. "This is the perfect opportunity!"

"For what exactly?" 96 questioned as the little girl dashed around the small rectangular room.

She paused in her extraction of a big empty blue backpack from its place wedged between her bed and the wall. Her green eyes turned serious as she squinted in 96's direction, who had made her way over to the closet and away from the door, fox in hand.

"You've got two options right now." She said, walking over to the nude stranger in her room and stopping a foot in front of her. Her good manners kept her looking at the woman's face and not her body. That would be rude. "You can either help me escape, therefore escaping yourself, or you can refuse and I'll scream my head off-"

"I'll escape with you." 96 interrupted the child and couldn't help liking the way she was so outspoken and direct. She was a brave one, that was for sure. The fox barked his agreement. "Though I'd like some clothes. If that's possible."

The girl beamed at her with the cutest of smiles before passing her and rummaging through her closet and then her dresser. All the while throwing clothes and other oddities into the backpack. Then she paused her search and looked back and forth between 96 and something in the drawer she was crouched over.

Then she giggled and threw a bunched up article of clothing at 96 who caught it with her free hand. Unraveling it she almost snorted. It was a teenage sized unicorn onesie, all white save for the rainbow mane and tail. It was a little worn out, but still kind of cute. Not that she'd admit it.

"Sorry!" The girl giggled again while pulling on some beat up tan boots over her pink socks. It seemed she was done packing. "That's really all I have that might fit you. I was going to cut it and use it for Halloween next week. Good thing you're pretty short! How old are you anyway?"

96 didn't answer right away as she set the fox down and pulled the soft thing on. It felt strange to have clothes on after so long and she was thankfull it was a little big on her. She was already feeling restricted with it and didn't want to think about how something tight would feel.

"I'm 21." She finally responded while she wiggled her toes in the soft footies of the onesie. She'd be 22 in about two months if what the girl said about Halloween was true.

Said girl froze and a look of confusion crossed her face, but she shook it away. That was enough questions for now. The fox yelped in surprise as she picked him up and set him in her backpack before shrugging it on. He was to busy concentrating on the two people in the hall to pay attention to what was happening in the room.

A little disgruntled the fox fluffed up his fur and made himself comfortable. ' _The_ _people_ _are e_ _ntering_ _another_ _hall t_ _hrough_ _the_ _place_ _with_ _tables_ _._ _Now's our_ _chance_ _.'_

96 nodded and looked at the girl curiously as she started pushing her dresser away from the wall. They couldn't get out through the barred window so the only way was to find an exit. "It's time to go."

"Exactly!" She said breathlessly, the dresser was kind of heavy. "Help me move this thing."

96 did so and her mouth fell open in surprise when they got the dresser out of the way. There was a small hole chipped out of the wall, only leaving a thin layer on the outside. If they were to just kick the thing it'd break and they could get through.

"Wha-" 96 didn't know what to say.

"I've been breaking it for a long time now so I can finally leave this stupid place." The girl explained proudly with a satisfied grin. "I left the last layer intact so they wouldn't see it from outside. The amount of times I almost got caught is crazy! Come on let's go!"

With that she brought her right leg back and kicked as hard as she could. The thin layer crumbled like it was nothing and rain splashed into the room. Then she grabbed 96's hand and urged her through, following close behind.

The icy rain soaked them immediately, but none of the three cared. 96 couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes as she began running towards the iron wrought fence in front of her, muddy water making her onesie brown on the feeties and legs. The child's hand was still in hers and she kept up with no trouble. When they made it to the fence she quickly had the kid get on her back and hold on tight so she could climb over the stupid thing. It was slippery, but she managed so scale it somehow.

Hitting the muddy ground on the other side with a huge splash she couldn't help the surge of happiness that filled her chest. They were going to make it. She was going to be free! After so many years she was finally going to be fre-

"Freeze!" A harsh beam of light cut through the rain and darkness, bathing them in its yellow stream.

They froze.

/

A/N: Sorry for being a day late! Anyways tell me what you think? Did I rush the end or was it okay? I've never written an escape so let me know how I did please or if you'd like some changes!


	3. Don't Falter

**Important** **A/N:** Hey guys! As of 1/31/2017 I'm making a slight change to the story. Nothing to huge though. Instead of being in the facility for 5 years and being 18 she will have been in the facility for 9 years and be 21. I realized in order for certain things to happen she must be older. Try and guess if you want, I doubt you'll get it. ╮(─▽─)╭

Also, I'm switching the point of view to first person. Tell me how you like it.

Last, but most importantly, thank you all so much for all of the nice comments and support! You don't know how happy it makes me! I really appreciate it!

Enjoy! :)

/

Stinging rain pelted against my body and the icy wind slashed through the unicorn onesie. I didn't even notice as my eyes stayed trained on the far off figures and the light reflecting brightly in my eyes.

One was talking quickly into a small device, but I hardly payed any attention. A weapon was gripped tightly in the other's hand and aimed towards us. This weapon I knew immediately and it caused the blood to drain from my face as memories tried to rear their ugly heads. It sparked a few times with electricity and my legs trembled.

I realized then how scared I actually was. How terrified and completely small I felt. Adrenaline had shot through my veins and made me feel unstoppable earlier. Now it was gone, replaced by the cruel realization that if we were caught we'd be killed. No... the kid and the fox would be killed.

Me on the other hand.

A thick shudder ran down my spine and the smile I wore to hide my emotions was so strained my cheeks felt like they were ripping. Lightning struck so close by that I could feel the ground shake beneath my feet, but still I stood frozen. The following thunder threatened to destroy my eardrums with its booming roar.

There were always worse things than death.

Always.

None of us three had moved an inch since the man yelled freeze. That all changed when the one holding the strange weapon from my nightmares started pulling the trigger. A warm familiar feeling had been slowly seeping into my body and with it I found the strength to move despite my fear.

I bolted into the thick woods and up the mountain. Hearing the security guards follow suite I cursed my shaking legs and somehow moved even faster.

The kid was still holding onto my back like a huge koala and the fox was holed up in the backpack. She kept her face against the back of my neck and her arms and legs so tight it was almost painful. I ignored her small trembles and tried to lose the two guards who huffed behind us. We were smacked by tree branch after tree branch, but she refused to lesson her hold and I refused to slow down.

Blood trickled from a cut on my cheek, but was washed off as fast as it came. The footies of the onesie did little to soften the ground below my feet, making me glad there was so much mud. Water flowed in brown streams all around us as the storm continued to rage on. Trees bent at ridiculous angles, some smaller ones even snapping in half by the strong winds.

I quickly became choked as I tried and failed to suck in air. The rain so thick it invaded my lungs with every inhalation. I wanted to stop. To breathe, but the men could still be behind us so I kept running. I wasn't going to risk turning to look for them just yet.

My body felt almost numb as I kept going, coughing out water and squinting through the rain. The entrance to a cave appeared in front of me and I veered to the left to go around it and up the mountain more. I didn't want to get trapped inside. Suddenly lightning struck a tree and it crashed down in front of us, blocking the way.

The little girl screamed at the loud noise, but it was lost in the thunder. She held on even tighter, if that was possible, and her nails dug into my ribs, no doubt leaving bruises. I didn't even flinch. Simple pain did nothing to me.

Lighting raced across the sky like veins and slammed into the ground all around us. Some trees bursting into flames that quickly got put out. It was absolute madness, the noise so deafening it was disorienting. The flashes of light so frequent it was almost like a strobe light and left the images burned into my retinas.

The threat of the two guards were temporarily pushed to the side at this new danger. If I didn't know better I'd think the heavens were trying to destroy us. My heart was beating so hard in fright that I thought it'd come right out of my chest.

Confused and feeling sick I stumbled and somehow made it into the cave I had tried to pass by. My muscles screamed at me to just collapse, to let them rest, but I barely ignored it and ran deeper into the cave. It was dark, but I could still see, though the lightning and flashes of light hung in my vision whenever I blinked.

The noise now sounded muffled and I could no longer go on. My legs simply gave out on me and I fell forward onto the damp rock beneath us. The added weight of the girl and her bag with the fox in it knocked the remainder of my breath out of me.

She let go immediately and scrambled off of my back, shrugging the bag off of her shoulders in the process. The fox squeezed out and then they were both shaking me and pushing me to get up. When I didn't respond they began freaking out even more.

I was out of breath and totally exhausted. What did they expect? My body could only take so much in a day. My mind, however, was no where near finished so I refused to give into the darkness that danced in my vision. I just needed a moment of rest and I'd be fine. My body could just get the hell over it.

The fox seemed to calm down and realize I was fine because he laid down next to my head and barked softly once. His moment of panic was over and his ears were pointed towards where we came from, most likely listening for our pursuers.

"P-please." The girl cried as tears streamed freely down her face as she continued to panic. "D-don't die! I need you!" She fell to her knees and then flopped on top of me. Her arms went around me as best she could as I lay there on my stomach. "Don't leave me all alone."

"Not..." I wheezed once I got my breath and a little strength back. "Dying..."

At the sound of my voice she froze and then started sobbing harder. A second later she was trying her best to help me up as I struggled to my feet. Unfortunately I weighed quite a lot for my small stature due to all of my muscle. Her effort barely helped, but I made it up anyway.

Panting slightly I leaned onto the side of the cave and gave her a weak pat on the head. She held onto my other arm like it was her life line. Her brown hair was plastered to her face and dripping almost as much as her green eyes. A hiccuped sob escaped her and the fox rubbed against her leg to try and give her comfort.

I was pissed. This poor girl shouldn't have to be in a situation like this! Those stupid damn bastards! Then I had a confusing thought. Why was this girl there and trying to escape in the first place? Was she a shape shifter to?

 _'We need to keep moving if you're able.'_ A soft voice popped in my head, belonging to the fox. I could feel the uneasiness and the urge to leave coming off of him in waves. _'Something isn't right here. I feel like we need to get away from this area and soon.'_

"Okay." I wheezed out finally and took in a huge breath of air before letting it out slowly. Regaining my breath was proving to be more difficult than it should. "I'm fine. Just tired." I managed to get out more smoothly this time.

I shuffled onwards deeper into the cave, using the wall for support and dragging the girl along with me. The fox padded along next to her, his fur clinging to him and making him look even tinier than he already was.

There were no turns or splits in the path, not even big rocks to hide behind. As we walked the walls seemed to close in around us. Eventually I was just barely able to continue walking without having to duck. I didn't like it. At all. It reminded me to much of my little room underground.

The other two didn't like it either. I could see it in the way the fox walked even closer to us, almost right beneath our feet, and how the girl clung to me more desperately.

When the path veered right suddenly and an opening appeared in front of us my steps faltered. The fox bumped into my left leg with a yelp and then peered around me to see why I had stopped.

A cool breeze touched my face and hands, making me realize that I was actually starting to feel cold. Light flashed and lit up the entrance before us and I could hear rain pounding down somewhere beyond. Still, something did not feel right. It was like everything was holding its breath and waiting. For what I did not know, but it set me on edge.

"We can't go this way." My voice seemed to hang in the small space we were in. I could feel the heaviness in the air.

The girl pulled on my hand to gain my attention. When I looked down I was glad to see that her tears had stopped. Her grin from earlier was still absent though. "Why not?"

Before I could answer I felt vibrations under my feet. The fox had frozen completely and was shaking uncontrollably, his brown eyes wide. Then I started hearing something rumble from behind us, steadily growing louder as it came near.

I whipped my body around just in time to see the two guards burst from around the corner and come hurtling towards us. Behind them rocks fell and crashed loudly into the small space.

' _Holy shit the cave is collapsing!'_ I thought just as the fox yelled. _'It's a mud slid!'_

Not a second later I was running full speed towards the entrance with the fox in one hand and the girl holding the other. The guards were a little behind us as they ran for their lives, not even trying to capture us anymore. If we didn't get out now we'd all be buried alive!

We burst through the entrance and immediately I dug my heels into the mud to stop myself. The girl groaned as we fell back painfully, the fox safe in my hold. In front of us was a huge hole with no indication of a bottom. Rain and muddy water poured into it from a crack in the ceiling.

I scrambled to my feet, pulling the kid up with me as I went. We faced the entrance that we had come out of right as one of the guards tripped and fell. I grabbed the kid's head and buried her face into my side so she couldn't see as rocks and mud crushed his lower half. I couldn't save her from hearing the scream of agony that followed though. It was cut short when a bigger boulder smashed his head like a grape, hitting us with a spray of blood.

The living guard had stopped when he saw the hole and was now standing next to me, tears making trails down his face. "I'm sorry!" He sobbed. "I-I never wanted to hurt anyone! They made me! I'm so sorry!"

I could only watch in terror induced shock as boulders and mud crashed down around us. No words came to mind, my life did not flash before my eyes, nothing happened as I just stood shaking in fear. We were going to die. I was finally free and now I was going to die. I cried as I hugged the girl and fox to me.

A warmth was building in my chest at a fast pace as I glanced behind us at the hole. If we stayed we'd surely die from being crushed to death, but if we jumped... There may still be hope, maybe water had pooled at the bottom or something.

The warmth consumed my whole body and even though I was terrified I didn't hesitate. Using my full weight I slammed into the guard and all of us fell into the darkness below. They screamed, the fox making a strange high pitched noise, like there was no tomorrow. Odds were there wouldn't be one.

I maneuvered myself so that the girl and fox would land on top of me, not caring if they survived without me. My mind flashed to all of the people I had murdered, the horrible things I had done and enjoyed. These two deserved a better chance at life. Not me. Never me.

I was fine with that. Dying wasn't something I was scared of. I deserved it, after all. Living was a more terrifying thing, but for some reason I had always clung to it anyways. Why did I? I sure didn't know. It would have been easier to just disappear. Better for this world. Especially after their experiments proved successful and the punishments grew more frequent and painful.

Maybe I just didn't want to give those assholes the satisfaction of seeing me fall to my fear or break into a thousand pieces. I may have a few cracks, but I wasn't shattered. I never would be.

A real smile found its way onto my face at the revelation. I was still me. They didn't destroy her. I really was free now. Even if I died they'd never again hold me in their clutches. I'd make sure of that.

With protecting the two beings in my arms as my new goal I closed my eyes. A sigh of relief was the only sound I made as we descended, not knowing when, or if, we'd ever hit the bottom.

/

A/N: Aaaannnddddd bam! Another chapter! Sorry if it's a little shorter than the last two! I try and write at least 3,000 words/10 pages for each, but I felt this one should end there!

Anyways, hit me with some feedback! Some guesses as to what's going to happen! Anything really! I just love hearing from you guys! It really makes my day! Thank you so much for reading! Stay awesome!


	4. Brighten Up Buttercup

A loud crash followed by an eerie snap resounded throughout what could only be described as a cavern. Such a small and pathetic sound for the marking of a life's departure. Nobody was even conscious to hear it as the sound faded away into oblivion.

The person's soul floated up and briefly shone with a wondrous yellow hue before popping into the body atop its old one and melding into the soul within. A burst of multicolored light was the only indication that something amazing had just occurred.

Again nobody was awake to see the spectacle and its beautiful radiance. Everything lost on the unaware bed of golden flowers that did not think nor care. They swayed gently in the nonexistent breeze, planted there to cushion the fall of anyone who had the misfortune of doing so.

 _Though_ _,_ _who's_ _to_ _say_ _we_ _are_ _ever_ _truly_ _alone_ _._

/

 _I was strapped down to a metal table, it's cold surface causing goosebumps to appear on my skin. My forehead, chin, shoulders, wrists, hips, legs, and ankles all had leather straps pulled tight across them. I cold feel them all cutting into my skin._

 _Where? What? My mind was groggy and I couldn't form a cohesive thought. The only thing I knew for sure is that I was terrified more than I have ever been in my short life._

 _Tears stung my eyes and I couldn't help the sobs that bubbled out of my lips. I was completely immobile and no matter how I struggled I couldn't move an inch._

 _"Ah, you're awake." A beautiful face now hovered over mine, making me gasp. "I am Dr. Grace."_

 _She had striking honey brown eyes and black hair that gleamed in the bright white lights. Her skin was a flattering mocha and she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. I wondered briefly if her body matched her amazing face and could only dream of growing up to look that good._

 _She had my bumbling mind forgetting completely that I was strapped to a table in an unknown place. My focus was solely on her and how she looked like an angel. Was I dead?_

 _Death... That sent dark images flashing across my vision. I could hear familiar voices begging and pleading for something then their blood chilling_ _screams_ _that_ _became_ _choked_ _gurgling_ _. It was gone in an instant and I was staring blankly up at Dr. Grace._

 _What was that?_

 _"Now_ _sweetheart_ _, it's time to get started." Her eyes flashed with excitement_ _and_ _..._ _Something_ _else_ _. She disappeared from my view for a moment. "I have high expectations for you."_

 _I couldn't keep up with what she was saying. Start what? Expectations? I was still crying and didn't even know it. The tears slipped down_ _my_ _temples and into my hair. It was like my subconscious knew something terrible was going to happen._

 _A moment later Dr. Grace was putting something strange and cold onto my head. I tried to speak, but found my mouth wouldn't cooperate. Only managing to make strange unintelligent noises._

 _"Now don't move. This test will determine if you are suitable for more." Her voice was slightly drowned out by something that sounded like a_ _drill_ _at_ _a_ _dentists_ _office_ _. "Try not to die. We went through a ton of pain to collect you after all."_

 _And then I was screaming. Pain stabbed into my skull and I could hear the drilling sound and what could only be bone as it crunched beneath it. The noise resounded in my head, but I could only focus on the pain. My scream was cut short when something soft was shoved into my mouth._

 _"Is it not strange?" I could barely understand what Dr. Grace was saying. None of it processed in my mind as the drill slowly continued its work on my skull. "The actual brain can feel no pain, but it is the thing that perceives it for the entire body."_

 _My tears and muffled screams continued relentlessly as I struggled to move, to get away. It was no use. I couldn't run from the pain, I couldn't do anything at all. I was_ a _t_ _her_ _complete_ _mercy_ _and_ _she_ _had_ _none_ _._

 _"I've found that breaking a mind can be just as painful though. The brain really doesn't matter." She happily revealed as she turned the drill off and handed it to_ _someone_ _I_ _hadn't_ _noticed_ _was_ _there_ _._

 _The agony_ _the_ _drill_ _had caused throbbed with each of my frantic heart beats. "It's the conscious being within that's the real excitement. So, let's find out who you truly are and then-"_

 _She paused and a second later I felt something cold enter my skull, but felt nothing after that. My hiccuping sobs were choked by the gag and I couldn't get enough air._ _Was_ _she_ _going_ _to_ _kill_ _me_ _?_

 _"Well." She finally said as my eyesight was replaced by strange visions. It was like I was dreaming while entirely awake. "Then I'll destroy everything that makes you who you are. You'll be the perfect_ _weapon_ _, 96."_

 _And then things worse than any nightmare I could have imagined played in my mind._

 _Where was my mom and dad? Where was Rowan?_ _I_ _called_ _for help,_ _but_ _nobody_ _came_ _..._

/

I jolted awake and into a sitting position with a silent scream. My hands grabbed at my pounding skull and I slammed my eyes shut in pain. Finding only the small scars hidden underneath my blond hair I sighed in relief and sat their motionless, trying to collect myself.

That stupid damn dream of when I first woke up at the facility was one of the worst of my many nightmares. I was forced to replay every terrible thing that had ever happened to me over and over again whenever I closed my eyes.

It wasn't fair. The only time I was able to get away from my horrible life was plagued by the things I was trying to forget. Acting like it didn't affect me to much was as natural as breathing now. Doing just that I let out a huge sigh and let my hands fall listlessly to my sides.

When they touched something that definitely wasn't the usual cold stone of my room my eyes snapped open and I looked down quickly. What I found had me scrambling a few feet away and my heart racing in panic.

It was a man lying in a small oval of golden flowers. They bobbed happily as his lifeless eyes stared at me unseeing. His neck was at an incredibly horrendous angle and blood dribbled down his pale face. It was all over the flowers and made my stomach lurch.

Where was I? Had I done this?

Suddenly memories launched themselves into my tortured mind from the night before and I gasped slightly. It was the guard that I pushed into the hole with us. I thought he might have deserved a chance at life after his apology. That he could explain himself and what he meant when he said they made him do it.

My heart sank when I realized I must have landed on him and killed him. Another person had died because of me and my brash decisions. Who's to say he wouldn't have survived if I didn't push him in.

An image of the kid and the fox falling with me flashed in my eyes. I scrunched them closed and inhaled sharply as a wave of pain hit me. The adrenaline I was feeling from my nightmare and then seeing the dead guard was wearing off. I was slowly becoming aware of just how battered and bruised I was.

Forcing my eyes open I took a long look at the man's face and committed it to memory before scanning the strange cavern for my companions. The fact that I didn't remember everyone's face that I've killed tore me up inside, but again I ignored the pain. I _needed_ to find the fox and kid. The last remaining bits of my humanity counted on it.

I wobbly got to my feet and almost came crashing right back down. The pounding in my head was killing me and it was hard to concentrate as my body screamed in pain. All of my injuries from the day before had me clenching my teeth and my legs shaking. The muscles had been over worked and had stiffened up. The wounds on my back and legs from the beating burned and throbbed along with my head.

I stumbled slowly to the wall and leaned on it heavily. Pressing my forehead onto the cool rock and trying to concentrate. Voices faintly found their way to my ears, but I couldn't actually discern them between reality and the echoing voices that plagued my mind from my memories.

 _"I'_ _m proud_ _of_ _you_ _96,_ _you've_ _stayed_ _conscious_ _for_ _five_ _days_ _now_ _!"_

I shook my head and hissed at the following pain before almost falling again. My left leg was becoming increasingly harder to stand on and seemed to have taken the brunt of the fall. I glanced down at it to see that the unicorn onesie had been ripped from footie to thigh on that side.

The usual pale skin from being locked inside for years was now bruised and swollen. I wasn't sure if it was broken or not, but doubted it seeing as I was still standing. Healing it came to mind and I quickly threw that idea away. My energy levels were completely shot and I didn't think my body could handle the extra strain.

 _"_ _You_ _can_ _heal_ _yourself_ _so_ _fast_ _!_ _Let's_ _see_ _how_ _long_ _you_ _can_ _keep_ _that_ _up_ _._ _Day_ _six_ _!"_

"-will have to show you."

 _"_ _Have_ _you_ _ever_ _had_ _your_ _guts_ _ripped_ _out_ _?_ _Don't_ _worry_ _if_ _you_ _can't_ _heal_ _yourself sweety. We_ _can_ _always_ _patch_ _you_ _back_ _up._ _"_

"You want LOVE, don't you?"

" _This_ _is_ _all_ _a_ _process_ _to_ _make_ _you_ _a_ _better_ _weapon_ _._ _The_ _more_ _pain_ _the_ _stronger you'll_ _become_ _."_

As my mind wavered between confusion and clarity I had somehow made my way to a door. Why said door was in a cave..? No idea and I was to far gone to even ponder the fact.

The inter-workings of my brain seemed to be slowly dying and calling for darkness and the terrors it brought. My vision was blurry and bright spots danced in my eyes. I didn't allow it to affect me and forced myself to continue forward as I looked for the two beings I had only known for a day.

I barely knew them yet had promised myself that I'd keep them safe even at the cost of my life. Why do I feel so connected to them? Was it because they were the first ones to talk to me nicely and treat me like a person? I couldn't answer that question, but knew I'd never let them go through what I did.

So when I limped half conscious into a dark room and saw the girl and the fox I was immediately filled with relief. So much so that my legs started to give out on me and I stumbled forward.

Then I saw a flower with the creepiest face blur in and out of my focus. Floating splotches of white spun and surround the two. I hated hallucinations the most and even if it was fake my foggy brain registered danger. My body went on autopilot and I attacked.

In an instant I was across the room and tearing a clawed hand into the ground right next to the flower. He had barely managed to jerk his face back from the attack. I was going for its throat or where it seemed a throat would be.

"W-what the?!" It stumbled over its words in a boyish voice. "Who are you?!"

My body teetered dangerously to the left, but I shook my head as I gained my balance. A harsh growl sounded from deep in my chest and I leapt at it from my crouched position, bent on destroying the threat. The last bits of my consciousness were all concentrated into saving my two... Friends?

This time I shredded the petals on its right side and it cried out in pain. The exertion on my body was taking its toll and the claws I had formed turned back into hands. My breath came out in ragged gasps and I turned to strike at the flower again only to realize it was gone.

With frustrated growls I turned and made eye contact with the girl. She was standing there as if it was normal to see talking flowers and a woman faster than humanly possible with claws. Maybe she hadn't seen? Or this was really just some screwed up hallucination?

My thoughts got interrupted by intense pain in my side as I flew a couple of feet to the right and hit the ground with a grunt. I tried, but utterly failed to move anything but my eyes.

"What a terrible creature! Attacking... such an..." A female's voice echoed as it bounced off of the cave walls in a reprimanding voice.

A shadow fell over me and I looked up with half lidded eyes to find some sort of, for lack of a better word, goat creature staring down at me. Yup, that sums up the hallucinating thing. I guess my brain is fried.

The thing's kind crimson eyes were set in confusion and then horror when she got a good look at my blood splattered face. With a gasp her paws flew to her mouth.

"Oh my goodness! You're not a creature!"

Little do you know I wanted to say, but only managed to cough up a little blood. I wish my brain could come up with cooler things to see. Why choose a freaking goat and a flower?

The girl stood frozen in place, but the fox charged the goat thing with fierce barks and growls. Or he tried to sound fierce at least. He sounded very high pitched and yippy like a chihuahua. I giggled deliriously before it turned into wheezes and coughs.

"Young one I am so sorry!" She blatantly ignored the fox and reached down to gently lift me up. I found myself being carried bridal style. "We must get you healed at once!"

Her warm white fur felt wonderful on my skin where it touched. I could feel energy returning to my body and with a deep contented sigh I closed my eyes the rest of the way. I hadn't been this comfortable in years. It was total bliss and I wished I could just be there forever. Maybe my brain wasn't so bad after all? This was nice.

From my half asleep state I heard the girl speak up hesitantly as she followed behind. "M-Mom?"

And then I passed in and out of consciousness as my world flew by around me. One moment I was looking at the goat lady and the next I was gazing down at spikes. The scene changed and I could hear my broken laughter as the fox tripped and fell into a pile of red leaves.

This sort of thing continued until I blinked slowly at the blanket covering my pajama clad body. The last slow blink turned into my eyes staying shut for good as I drifted into a deep slumber.

/

A/N: And done! I'm super sorry for the huge wait! I hope you like it! Let me know your thoughts and everything! I love hearing from you guys!


	5. Goats and Snails

Waking up in a dark bedroom and dressed in some kind of nightgown wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was even propped up by poofy pillows and covered in warm blankets. Before I started panicking an odd feeling of calm washed over me. My instincts told me that I was safe, at least for now, so I surveyed my surroundings.

With my animalistic night vision I could make out the room pretty clearly in the dark. The only thing I really took the time to study was the two exits. A door was across from the foot of the bed I was in and a window was to my right. Other than that the quick skim gave me the impression of a child's room.

For once in a long time I felt at peace and fully rested. Sleep wasn't something I was accustomed to. The fact that I had gotten more while escaping and almost dying made me snort. How fitting really.

A small groan of protest from the sudden noise came from my right side and I glanced down to find the kid lying next to me. I didn't even notice her.

She was snuggled up under the blankets to my left, her brown hair just barely peeking from beneath them. With a grumble she hid all the way under the blankets and scooted closer to the wall.

The fox was wedged between us, his little feet sticking straight up into the air and his head thrown back. Soft snores and the occasional twitch had my chest swelling with love for the two.

It was very strange to feel this way after so long. I've hated everyone I came into contact with while in captivity. Nobody had shown me any kindness or treated me like I was a living breathing thing like the kid and the fox did.

Their kindness... Actually escaping... It was all just...

My eyes stung with tears and my chest felt strangely warm and full. The feeling radiated throughout my whole body and pulsed with the beating of my heart. "Thank you." The whispered words startled me. I hadn't been intending to say anything.

I shook my head and blinked hard, trying to disperse the odd feelings and the oncoming tears. They refused to disappear and the tears spilled from my eyes and ran freely down my cheeks.

What was wrong with me?

I didn't have a chance to figure out the answer to that question as the door across the room creaked open quietly. Something sweet pervaded the air and made my mouth water. The light cast by the open door was momentarily blocked by a tall figure as they popped their head in.

For a blood chilling moment I was back in my small cell and it was a caretaker coming in to get me. I froze in horror and waited for the pain. It seemed like years before the vision was gone and in place of the caretaker the goat lady from my hallucinations stood squinting at me.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and she jumped.

"Young one?" Her pawed feet made little sound as she walked over to the side of the bed, what looked like a plate of pie slices in her hand. It was what was putting off that amazing scent. "I did not realize you were awake."

Wait... Was she actually real? And where the heck am I? Reality smacked me right in the face. I had fallen into a giant hole in a cave, fought through pain and hallucinations, and now I'm sitting in a comfy bed talking to a goat thing. How was this all possible?

"Are you okay?" She squinted at me again and I stared at her blankly. I was unsure on exactly how to take in all of this or if it was even real.

Her mouth opened again, but quickly shut at a groan from next to me. Our talking, well her talking, had disturbed a certain someone. We both whipped our heads in the kid's direction.

She poked her head from beneath the covers and made a grumpy face. With one groggy look at the goat women she groaned and hid in the blankets again.

"Moooommm." Her muffled whine was slurred by sleep. "Still...tired..." By the time she finished speaking she was out again.

Mom? The heck?

The fox didn't even notice the ordeal and remained on his back, legs kicking as if he were running. Small whines left him as his pink tongue poked out from between his teeth.

I looked back towards the goat lady to see her placing the plate of pie slices on the floor. Why the floor of all places I wasn't going to ask. She smiled at me when we made eye contact and motioned for me to be quiet and follow her.

Not knowing what else to do I slid out of the covers and walked barefoot across the soft carpet. The nightgown brushed softly against my legs and gave me goosebumps. A moment later I was closing the door as silently as I could before looking up at the tall creature.

"Come young one." Her voice was very soothing and set me on edge. I wasn't used to this kind of nice treatment. Should I trust it?

She lead me down a brightly lit hallway, past a staircase that went downstairs, and into what looked to be a living room. A fireplace was lit and added a friendly glow to the small, but homey room.

Was this happening right now? Did such things truly exist? My brain was on overdrive trying to make sense of the creature as she sat in a comfy looking chair next to the fireplace. She motioned for me to take a seat on a wooden chair she had brought out and placed across from her own.

Was she a shape shifter like me?

"Why were you crying young one?"

At her words my thoughts vanished and I could feel my cheeks heat up in shame at being seen crying. I had forgotten about my little slip up. Defensive smile in place I wiped the remaining wetness away and refused to make eye contact as I sat down. Instead I stared at her folded paws. She was fidgeting as if she were nervous. Why?

An awkward silence pursued, but I didn't give it notice. I was used to staying silent after all. In this case I was more than happy to skip the subject.

"Do your-" Her words caught in her throat and she took a deep breath. "D-do your injuries hurt, little one?"

I glanced up at that and did a double take when a tear slid down her furry face. It almost looked like she wanted to say something more, but I couldn't be sure. My body didn't protest as I made a few stretching movements to test the pain level.

"...No." And to my surprise they really didn't. My body heals faster than normal humans, but not nearly this fast and I hadn't used any of my healing abilities. This was getting weird. Was she upset because she had caused some of the injuries?

"I am truly sorry that I hurt you my child."

That answers that question.

There were now tear tracks in her fur and she tried to contain her sniffles. "I did not-"

"Listen." I interrupted her quietly and closed my eyes with a sigh. Seeing others cry made me want to do the same and I didn't like it. "It's fine. I'm used to much worse. You really didn't do any damage so please don't cry-"

My eyes flew open as soon as I felt her arms around me. I could feel my spine straighten and my muscles tense up completely at the contact. How had she moved so fast and silently?!

As if holding something fragile she softly hugged me and in that instant I didn't know what to do at all. The soft fabric of her dress pressed into my face as she held me close. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable, but the shuddering breaths and her weakly hidden sobs stopped me from pushing her away.

"I-I saw them my child." Her chin was resting on top of my head and I felt completely surrounded. The feeling sparked remembrance in me and made my heart ache for something I had lost long ago.

Feeling uneasy at the strange emotion I held back the urge to push her away with difficulty. I didn't trust her so near to me.

"When i changed you out of that ripped and muddy clothing I saw the scars. Whoever did those things to you... I-" Her grip on me tightened and I stayed completely still, arms tensed by my sides. "Do not worry little one. I will never let them touch you again!"

"Excuse me..." I finally managed after I calmed myself down enough to respond. I leaned away from her strong hold. "That's none of your concern. Why do you care about them?"

"My child!" She pulled back to look me in the eyes, her own pouring out more tears. "How could I not care? You've obviously been mistreated very badly and I won't stand for it!"

I was becoming frustrated with this creature who hadn't even introduced herself, but wanted to protect me. She did not know me. There was no connection between us, yet she cared enough to cry over seeing my injuries? My scars? She didn't know the half of it and I wasn't about to fill her in.

"Again, why do you actually care? I am nothing to you." My voice came out colder than I intended and she froze, eyes wide in shock. A slow understanding dawned on her face as she stared into my blank hazel eyes.

Her arms slowly retracted from around me and she stood before making her way back to her seat. With a heavy sigh she sunk into the chair and placed her hands in her lap wearily.

"I'm sorry young one. I invaded your personal space without permission." She snapped her eyes open and looked at me with such a ferocious gaze I could only stare in retaliation. "But I want you to know. Even though I do not know you and that we have just met, that those scars you have... I had a child that..." Her voice trailed off and she swallowed hard before continuing, "I may seem strange for caring, but it is in my very nature. It is who I am just as you are who you are. I won't apologize for being me, but I will apologize for my brash actions."

I was taken aback by her passion and honesty, not knowing what to say to all that. A child that what? I didn't want to ask. It wasn't any of my business. What I did know was that I had gained some respect for the woman and that I needed questions answered.

"I apologize to." My gaze turned to the fire and I sighed quietly as I relaxed into the chair again. "I'm... Well, I'm not used to being hugged and um... I'm really sorry, but I don't like it. You're not really the issue here ma'am. I am."

My cheeks found it funny to heat up and turn pink again, but I managed to make eye contact with her. The kind smile she wore was a far cry from the forced one of mine that stayed on my face most of the time. Even now, as I sat there blushing and apologizing, my face held the same fake expression it had for almost nine years.

"And my scars... I realize you saw them from changing me and I thank you for that, but..." Telling a total stranger of what was done to me, all that I had suffered and somehow survived... It wasn't something I was about to do any time soon. "Just forget you saw them."

She nodded in response and frowned slightly. "I was very worried about you once I saw the state you were actually in. You're injuries were worse than any I've seen in a long while. Though you were easier to heal than most."

I blinked at her words as they rolled around in my head. So she could heal? That explains some things then, but I had other concerns.

"Where exactly is this place? I remember falling into a giant hole and then a strange flower attacking the child, but nothing is clear past that." I didn't add that this all could just be a crazy hallucination or dream though.

A sad look crossed her face and she looked off into the fire. "We are trapped here underground. We have been for many years."

"Trapped? Can't you just get out the way I fell in?" My mind flashed to the mudslide and cave in. To the security guard who died screaming. "Or you could have. I'm not so sure now. The cave collapsed and we barely made it out alive." Some not at all.

"Oh my child! I'm glad you're safe, that is so dangerous." Her face revealed her alarm and I couldn't help but sigh inwardly before sadness filled her voice once more. "But no. A strong barrier of magic prevents anyone, monster or human, from leaving this place."

I didn't think my eyes could get any wider at her statement. "What do you mean by magic?"

She smiled at that and held up a paw between us. A moment later a small orb of fire burst forth and hovered in the palm of her hand. It's orange glow lit up the room even more and sent my mind reeling.

"It's beautiful." I mumbled in awe as I stared transfixed. Soon it was gone with the flick of her wrist, exploding with a rain of sparks into the fireplace. I looked back at her and rose one brow in confusion. "Why would you monsters trap yourselves here though?"

"We did not do this young one. You humans did so with seven powerful magicians. Or perhaps you call them wizards?" She mused for a moment as I waited for her to continue. "It was after the war. Long ago-"

And there, in that small room warmed by fire, I learned of something that would ultimately change my life. For the better or for the worse I did not know. What I did know was that once again I had been trapped and that this time... This time nobody would ever chain me down again. I was going to be free, one way or another.

Kings and barriers be damned.

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